The Best Pelican Case Alternative - Professional Hard Case Protection

If you're looking for a Pelican case alternative to protect valuable items, we suggest the UWK Loadout 822 as a superior alternative to Pelican's 1610 case.

Below we compare and contrast these cases to provide buyers with the info they need to make an informed decision.

Why a Hard Case?

There are many benefits to choosing a hard case over a soft duffel bag, but the most compelling arguments are security and protection.

When you are transporting serious items like a laptop, personal documents, firearms, cash, or a solar charger, damage from water or knocks can be incredibly costly, especially in an emergency situation.

To prevent your important items from being damaged, a professional waterproof hard case for travel is the ideal solution to protect your gear.

The hard shell makes it more difficult to squeeze and press into the luggage (and your valuable items), protecting valuables inside. Many worry about the outer shell cracking, but that is only possible with cheap, low-quality hard cases.

A professional case will also make it hard, if not impossible, to break into the case. And it should also protect from water, dust, and other harmful elements.

UWK Loadout 822 - The Pelican Case Alternative

Pelican cases are known around the world. Their brand penetration is impressive and they make good cases, however, there are many Pelican case alternatives that offer the same, if not more, bang for your buck.

One such case is the UWK Loadout 822, which is comparable to the Pelican 1610 case.

Here's how the two compare:

Hard Case Material

The Pelican 1610 has a robust polypropylene body, while the Loadout 822 comes in the same polypropylene plastic or, as another option, non-corroding ultra-high impact injection-molded ABS construction.

Polypropylene features - automobile grade with microcellular foam for weight reduction and solid additives for shape stability. More impact resistant and better in the heat as it takes a very high temperature before it softens. Better chemical resistance (you can even transport corrosive materials), lighter than ABS plastic and cracks more easily in extreme cold.

ABS features - less likely to crack in freezing conditions, can be customized/modified as you wish by welding to the case walls (OEMs love it), and in the unlikely event that there is a crack - a little ABS glue means it becomes field repairable, perfect for expeditions. The ABS case is slightly heavier (10-20%) and certain chemicals can impact the surface. We include a UV inhibitor in our material, so the case is UV resistant.

If you're unsure what is the right case material for your need, contact us and we'll help you decide.

Waterproofing

UWK and Pelican cases have IP67 water and dustproof ratings. Pelican cases use a standard O-ring seal, but at UWK, with our background in creating underwater scuba dive lights and products, we pushed even further.

Our ABS version of the case comes with a special blue silicone O-ring seal, which maintains its shape over time whereas the Pelican seal will lose its shape and strength the more it is used. In short: our hard case protects against salt air, water, sand, and dust for longer than Pelican cases.

Both of our hard case types have passed the 1-meter submersion test with flying colors, although good luck trying to push it that far underwater in the first place!

Pressure Equalization

Pelican cases use a Pressure Equalization Valve, which releases built-up air pressure inside so there isn't a vacuum that would make the case hard to open. They have a membrane that allows air particles to pass but prevents liquid particles from entering the case.

UWK cases can use the same pressure equalization system, on request, but by default, we take a different approach, which we feel is even better. UWK cases use a screw-out pressure valve to equalize after altitude or temperature changes, but in a way that entirely prevents gas exchange.

Pelican's pressure release valve allows potentially damaging gas and high humidity to enter the case, whereas the screw-out pressure valve prevents such circulation to transform a low-risk factor into no-risk.

Dual-Core Wheels

The Pelican case has a polyurethane wheel with a stainless steel ball-bearing. At UWK we prefer our wide, dual-core wheels: lexan core with a polyurethane outer layer, perfect for a durable, consistently smooth ride.

Our design also uses a nylon bearing on a stainless steel rod, this prevents sand and dirt from getting into the ball bearing, which would cause corrosion over time.

Hard Case Handle

Another factor that finds favor among buyers looking for Pelican case alternatives is our spring-loaded, powder-coated galvanized steel handles with stainless steel twist-lock latches.

This pull-out handle makes transporting your hard case that much easier. With fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene, our handles are strong beyond belief and a big contrast to Pelican's plastic handle.

Extra Features

If you're still unsure that UWK Loadout is a good pelican case alternative, here are some additional reasons to give us a try.

• Our cases are manufactured and assembled right here in the U.S. We are a proudly American-made company.
• We provide custom color options - just let us know what you need and we can discuss.
• Our hard case comes with a removable, full-length stainless steel pin, padlock loops, and 6 latches to secure your contents.
• We provide cases for teams who travel to far-flung reaches of the world with a LOT of equipment - to make such missions a little easier, our cases interlock in stacks whether they are the same size or different sizes.
• Highly customizable OEM cases - foam, instrument panel kit, colors, materials - if you need it, we can deliver it.

In Summary: The Best Pelican Case Alternatives

Pelican cases are a big brand. They produce solid products, but the question is whether they produce the "best" products. We think our UWK Loadout 822 proves that there are Pelican case alternatives on the market for consumers who are looking for quality over a brand name.

Learn more about the UWK Loadout Case 822 or check out our full range of loadout cases.

If you have any questions about our UWK cases, we're here to answer them.